Serallus

"I don't believe a hero has ever existed anywhere in our realities."

— Archdominus Serallus

Archdominus Serallus (pronounced: sur-RAWL-luhs) is the enigmatic creator and ruler of Diabolis. Serallus' influence can be found throughout the planes and across the multiverse. He is one of the most feared gods across all the realms.

History

The Arrival of Serallus

The war of the gods destroyed countless planes of existence, the homes of the fiends were no exception. The fiends of the realms would have been left to wander the remnants of their former worlds if not for Serallus. In the wake of destruction caused by the Thousand Year Flood, Serallus arrived with a newly crafted plane of existence known as Diabolis. He offered residency to the fiends with the expectation that all who resided within Diabolis would serve under him.

A Fiend of Unknown Origin

Serallus was an anomaly and his appearance raised suspicion among the surviving archfiends. None of them had heard of Serallus before this moment and a being who can create an entire plane of existence by himself does not typically go unnoticed.

Even in the present day, no one knows what sort of fiend Serallus is. He displays traits of not only the fiendish residents of Diabolis, but the fiends of other planes as well.

The Trials of Obedience

Six archfiends demanded that Serallus prove his worth in order to gain their trust. Serallus agreed to endure trials for each archfiend with the condition that the archfiends would serve him in Diabolis if he completed the trial.

Serallus caught a crooked bargain from a contract drafted by Dominus Raglen , he constructed Diabolis to withstand the destructive might of the div, bested Dominus Vrikdarok in a duel, and impressed Dominus Uribal and Dominus Utaba with his many feats.

A Test of Trust

One of Serallus' trials is surrounded by an air of mystery in the present day. The trial that Dominus Varal gave Serallus was no grand display of might or wits. Varal witnessed displays of power from several deities over countless millennia and was not impressed by Serallus' accomplishments so far. Their test for Serallus was a mere question: Why should I serve you?

Serallus elected to answer this question in private. Whatever he said to Varal earned their trust, and Varal agreed to join the Dominion. Much speculation has circled the planes as to what Serallus told Varal that day, but both parties are sworn to secrecy.

The Golden Decree and the Dreadknights

The peace treaty signed between the gods of order and chaos allowed for the planes to be rebuilt. With these new planes came a reorganization of the pantheons, which meant new rules. Serallus and his fellow rulers of the new pantheons signed an agreement known as the Golden Decree to help maintain balance across the planes.

Among the Golden Decree's many clauses was a law forbidding direct intervention or attacks on mortals from the gods unless agreed upon by the other pantheons' rulers. This law would mean that Dominion could not lead sieges on the Material Plane to claim mortal souls as they have in the past. To prevent a loss for Diabolis, Serallus instructed the Dominion to choose mortal champions and instructed those champions to create the dreadknight orders.

The dreadknight orders were crafted as a display of Diabolic might on the Material Plane. All dreadknights wield weapons enchanted with the power to capture the souls. Anyone struck down by a dreadknight, regardless of how they may have acted in life, is damned to Diabolis. Since these actions are carried out by mortal followers of the Dominion, Serallus cannot be punished for them.

Multiversal Reach

Since the creation of the Tablet of Destinies, many of Phoenix' gods have learned of the universes beyond their realms and their ability to access these universes. Due to the Tablet's part in the Thousand Year Flood, many deities do not reach into other universes to avoid the possibility of causing a multiversal incident. Serallus holds no such fear and has been known to interact with these other universes quite frequently. Some scholars theorize that Serallus may originate from another universe and that is why it is so difficult to classify what sort of fiend he is.

His reach led him to become aware of a mysterious multiversal force that manifested as a warrior from another world. It is said that this warrior harnessed the very nature of flame itself. For a time, Serallus had captured this warrior with the assistance of Dominus Kalugal. He believed that the warrior would bring disorder to the Phoenixian planes, so keeping the warrior in the coldest place in Diabolis would ensure balance.

Kalugal famously failed to keep the warrior contained. Serallus punished Kalugal's mistake, by forcing him to chose a champion. Kalugal would be forced to regularly interact with a mortal on the Material Plane in perpetuity.

The warrior would go on to assist in Baroness Lutea and Primus Bahamut's plot to overthrow the leaders of the elemental planes. This plot led to the ascension of the Elemental Barons and the fall of the six Elemental Tyrants.

Nascent Deities

Serallus is surprisingly open to the concept of mortals ascending to godhood through various means, but he is rather selective in regards to the type of entities he allows into the Dominion.

Beyond the conception of the Dominion, Serallus has only ever allowed in three new members across the many centuries of its rule. Serallus personally appointed Dominus Khal and Dominus Desire after they displayed their worthiness for the position. Serallus allowed the Moon from the Tarotic Plane into Diabolis when it arrived with the Tarotic Gods. Per the request of the Sunknight Star, the Moon can only visit Diabolis sparingly, but some fear that Serallus and the Moon may be plotting a way to permanently free it from its imprisonment.

Dogma

Serallus and his followers are very militant. There is no tolerance for error or weakness in the Serallite faith and mistakes are severely punished to ensure they do not happen again. Punishments within the faith are catered to the offender to ensure they truly suffer for their actions.

The strong are meant to lead the weak. Any weakness in a position of power should be weeded out and destroyed. Power must be wielded with a heavy hand and an iron fist.

Relationships

Serallus views relationships as a necessary sacrifice in the game of power. Serallus only makes an ally if he feels they will grant him an advantage or boon. He will grant his allies respect and occasionally his grace, but they are always kept at an arm's length.

Enemies of Serallus are viewed as lessers to be eradicated, it is rare for him to acknowledge competencies among enemy ranks.

Friends

Serallus has very few close relationships, but his intimacy with Khal has been well documented and the subject of much interplanar gossip. Serallus pays these rumors no mind and does not let them effect his relationship with Khal. Serallus is always quick to remind others of Khal's value and never leaves Diabolis without Khal by his side.

Raglen and Varal have gained the most favor with Serallus among the Dominion members. Raglen has earned special privileges and responsibilities due to his contract while Varal is the only member of the Dominion— excluding Khal— to gain Serallus' trust.

Outside of Diabolis, Serallus has arranged an agreement with the Vampire Queens detailing that their followers may call upon fiends from the legions of Diabolis to aid in their plans. Any followers of the Vampire Queens must offer the souls of their mortal victims as payment for the fiends' services.

Neutral Relationships

Desire is Serallus' granddaughter and one of the few members of Serallus' bloodline that he recognizes and acknowledges as family. Despite how closely they appear to work alongside each other, their relationship is strained. Desire craves power and Serallus avoids entrusting her with too much, lest her ambition get the better of her.

Exarch Lanua and Serallus drafted an agreement that states the souls of wicked mortals are to be sent to Diabolis for their punishment. They share a mutual respect for each other's work ethic, but do not interact outside of required meetings between the planes.

Enemies

The Dominion opposes the Imperators, Serallus believes each Imperator to be a spineless pushover or a martyr waiting to happen. He holds a special distaste for Imperatrice Olah and Imperatrice Lovara. Lovara once served Serallus as legatus of the Order of the Iron Fist, but Lovara grew soft over time and fled the order. Olah offered Lovara safe haven after her death, which stopped Serallus from delivering a deserved punishment. He has held a grudge against the Imperators for their actions ever since.

Serallus dislikes each of the six Elemental Barons, but this hatred is doubled for Lutea due to her actions in revealing the location of the otherworldly warrior Serallus entrusted Kalugal to seal away.

When the Tarotic Gods first arrived in the planar realities of Phoenix, the Towering Death's first impression with the Dominion nearly caused another war. The Towering Death challenged Uribal to a destructive battle within Diabolis that Serallus was forced to break apart. Serallus banished the Towering Death from Diabolis and refuses to offer forgiveness for this transgression.

Serallus dislikes Overseer Treald for Treald's constant attempts to change the Golden Decree. Serallite's are often finding themselves on the defensive from Trealdic orders trying to close their portals to Diabolis.

Appearance

Serallus is known for taking a variety of frightening forms, but he is most commonly seen in the form of a towering fiend with leathery wings, four black horns, a spade tail, and matte black armor. His face is usually obscured by a massive helmet, red eyes gleam from within.

On the rare occasions where Serallus has shown his face, he is described a stern, hardened man with bone-white skin and thick, black hair.

Providence

Serallus' direct interactions with Material Plane are very limited; however, many believe that any rifts to Diabolis are caused by Serallus and are part of a Diabolic plan.

The Fiend's Forge is believed to be a direct doorway to the House of the Iron Fist and its eruptions are believed to proceed the arrival of a dominus on the Material Plane.

Home

The House of the Iron Fist is what everyone imagines when they picture Diabolis. It is fire, brimstone, rivers of lava, and warped black and red rock. The architecture is made up of bold geometry, black stone buildings built for function rather than fashion, jagged metal towers, and heavy iron chains that interlink the House of the Iron Fist with each of the other Diabolic Houses. Fiends march the streets in military order, everything within the House of the Iron Fist seems to run on a strict schedule that is only known to the residents of the House.

Servants

All fiends and titans that reside within Diabolis are expected to serve under Serallus. Even the other members of the Dominion must complete any order Serallus gives them.

Praetors

Yuvia

An asura with many arms that all have mouths on the palms of her hands, each mouth spreads doubt and slander about any god that does not serve the Dominion.

Narlan

A rail thin daemon with two sets of jaws and a tail armed with a velum capable of drinking the souls of mortals.

Torameth

A colorless demon with eyes that glow blindingly bright and a body made of grey granite and broken glass.

Falkus

First Praetor, she is a devil that wields a brand that can sear a mortal's very soul and bind them to her forever.

Hanaala

A div who is forever burning with invisible flames, the air around him always wavers with immense heat.

Imika

A velstrac dressed in chains and with an exposed metal rib cage that holds the screaming souls of her victims inside.

Religion

Serallus' followers are drawn to the Wastes and Cryptlands, anywhere they can establish their own rules and ways of life. They often construct temples in advantageous locations that would allow them a means to survey anyone they are looking to conquer.

Many fear that Wùsōngmén is a haven for Serallite's practicing in secret due to their militant way of life.

Worshipers

Cruel rulers, soldiers, and anyone who seeks power through dominating those weaker than them are drawn to the Serallite cult. Serallites are infamous for worming their way into governments and corrupting them from the inside out turning their territories into settlement-wide temples to the Archdominus.

The Serallite cult is completely organized, every sect and religious organization created by the cult is tied into the greater faith somehow. Worshipers are expected to treat clerics and dreadknights of Serallus as their betters, for they have been sworn to serve a higher purpose.

Clergy

All aspiring Serallite clerics are required to enroll in the Order of the Iron Fist. From the moment they join, clerics devote their entire being to the Archdominus and his causes. Clerics can be given a variety of tasks based on their training and strengths, from aiding injured knights in the order, casting deadly spells on the battlefield, destroying artifacts and erasing the histories of Serallus' enemies, interrogations, and a menagerie of other tasks.

No matter what task they are assigned, Serallite clerics are trained to become unreadable and unbreakable. Any cleric of Serallus would rather die than give away a secret or crack under pressure. Many consider interrogating a Serallite cleric a lost cause as any bit of information they reveal could be suspect and lead to a trap.

Temples & Shrines

Temples of Serallus are always made as a reflection of the House of the Iron Fist. They are made without room for beauty or filigree, the raw materials utilized in the construction of the temple are displayed decorated. Every aspect of the temples' creation is designed with function in mind. Even the smallest nooks and crannies of a Serallite temple have a purpose.

All temples of Serallus are constructed at the most advantageous location possible, typically on a divine or occult ley line for ease in crafting portals. Portals that lead to Diabolis are housed in all Serallite temples, usually in the lowest or highest chamber of the temple. These portals must be kept open at all times. Should a Diabolic portal within a Serallite temple ever close, the temple is to be demolished as it is no longer sacred ground.

Holy Texts

The Law of the Iron Fist

An unholy book bound in iron that all members of the Order of the Iron Fist must carry with them. Each copy is crafted personally for its owner. It is designed to be just heavy enough that the Serallite will always know they are holding onto it. It contains the strict rules of the Serallite faith and the punishments that will follow if those rules are broken.

Tome of Imprisoned Truth

An alleged, esoteric book that is said to contain the origins of Serallus and his rise to power. Serallites are quick to dismiss any rumors of the book's supposed existence.

Holidays

Graduation

Celebrated on the first day of Serallon, armigers within the Order of the Iron Fist must defeat a fiend in a one on one battle to become true dreadknight. The Order of the Iron Fist is the only dreadknight order to have a scheduled day for their dreadknight tests.

Rancor's Finale

Celebrated on the twenty-fifth day of Lanuon, any grudges that are held between members of the Order of the Iron Fist must be settled through ritual combat. The ritual ends when the combatants mutually agree on settling their grudge or when one combatant kills the other.

Culling

Celebrated on the twentieth day of Nidara, the Order of the Iron Fist executes all weak links within the Order without mercy, such as disappointing soldiers and uncooperative prisoners.

Favored Animals

Serallus favors hounds for their unquestioning loyalty, great danes are a common pet among his followers. Serallus holds an appreciation for any animal known for its resilience, such as bears, goats, and rhinoceroses.

Organizations

Order of the Iron Fist

The dreadknight order that rules above all others, it serves as the organized church of Serallus.